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Colonial 
Connecticut 




By 



"]f7Vu> Julia E:(Hickok) JlDoatulo 

OF Marietta, Ohio 



.1313 



Copyright, 1917 
The Ebbert & Richardson Co. 



/ 



St? 17 \^\\ 

©CI.A473o22 



Introduction 



THIS is the fifth study of the colonial period prepared 
and published by the Colonial Dames of America in 
the State of Ohio, for use in the seventh and eighth grades, 
to help teachers and pupils to a clearer understanding of 
this important period of American history. 

The first four studies — Virginia, New York, Massa- 
chusetts, and Rhode Island, were written by Mrs. Mary D. 
Phillips. Miss Julia E. Hickok takes up and carries forward 
the work which Mrs. Phillips left upon her removal from 
the State, following the completion of the Rhode Island 
monograph. Miss Hickok follows the high standard set 
by her predecessor — a standard of simplicity and clearness, 
of vivid statement, with the selection of the larger and more 
essential features in the life and thought of each colony, 
thus making clear their individual contributions in the 
making of America. 

What was the central idea for which Connecticut stood? 
In many respects its history was like that of Massa- 
chusetts and Rhode Island, but the distinct contribution 
which this colony made was "The First Written Consti- 
tution in History, Creating a Government," the Federal 
Constitution following the Federal principle developed in 
Connecticut. "The Birthplace of American Democracy" 
is Hartford. This colony, also like Rhode Island, stood 
for absolute freedom of thought and its expression. The 
story of such a colony is well worth careful study. 

I wish to express renewed appreciation for the work of 
the society which has made such a study possible for the 
pupils in the schools of this and other cities. 

RANDALL J. CONDON, 

Superintendent of Schools. 
Cincinnati, Ohio, 

June seventeen, Nineteen-seventeen. 



Colonial Connecticut 



CONNECTICUT is farthest southwest in the group of 
six states called New England. In shape it is an 
irregular oblong lying north of Long Island Sound and south 
of Massachusetts, with Rhode Island on the eastern border 
and New York State on the west. Its area is 4990 square 
miles, more than half the size of Massachusetts. The 
Connecticut River crosses the central part of the state, 
from north to south, in a valley some twenty miles in width. 
East of this valley are low hills and smaller valleys traversed 
by other streams; a land known to the first settlers as the 
Pequot Country. The western portion of the state is 
rugged, with higher hills rich in minerals. 

VvHien the Plymouth men were struggling to hold their 
place on the shore of Massachusetts, and Boston was in its 
beginnings, this territory to the south and west was inhabited 
only by Indian tribes. From the discoveries of the Cabots 
in 1497, England had claimed this unexplored western land 
and had included it in the grant to the Plymouth Company; 
but no effort had been made toward its settlement. 

Adrian Blok, a Dutch sailing master, is said to have 
gone up the Connecticut River, in 1614, as far north as 
the present site of Hartford. 

It was not, however, until 1633, that stories of this 
fertile valley came to the ears of the Plymouth settlers, in 
the report of an adventurer, John Oldham, who had pene- 
trated the forests, partly explored the country and returned 
to Massachusetts Bay. 

In October of that year, a small ship under Captain 
William Holmes was sent around by sea to the mouth of the 
Connecticut River and sailed as far as Hartford. Here the 
Dutch had already established a fort, whose soldiers chal- 
lenged the Plymouth captain and threatened to fire upon 
him. But Holmes was both brave and stubborn; he had 
been sent up the river and up the river he meant to go. 



The vessel pushed on a few miles farther to the place where 
Windsor now stands. There the crew built a trading-house, 
raised the English flag and left a few men to hold the place. 
Their intention was both to prove England's right to the 
territory and to establish with the Indians a profitable 
trade in furs. The next winter Governor Van Twiller of 
New Amsterdam sent a force of seventy men to drive out 
the English. But finding the task of dislodgment too 
difficult, the Dutch retreated to their Hartford fort, which 
they held, cut off from their own people, for twenty years. 
The Dutch Governor attempted also to build another fort 
at the mouth of the river and was again defeated. For 
the English, obtaining grants from the Council of New 
England, quickly founded Saybrook, named for Lord Say 
and Sele and Lord Brook. 

Meantime matters had been coming to a crisis in certain 
Massachusetts towns. The policy of government was 
strict and narrow, none but church members might vote or 
hold office. This and other restrictions led to discontent 
and made some of the people wish for a change. Especially 
indignant were the three towns of Dorchester, Watertown 
and Newtown (now Cambridge). After sending protests 
to Boston and finding no relief, these citizens determined to 
establish for themselves a freer government in some new 
home. 

As early as 1634, tradition says, a few families from 
Watertown had made their way to the place where Wethers- 
field now stands. It is certain that in the summer of 1635 
a party from Dorchester, following John Oldham's trail, 
came to reinforce the fort at Windsor. In October of the 
same year, sixty pilgrims, including women and children, 
came from Newtown through the wilderness and settled 
near the Dutch fort at Hartford. Winter overtook these 
pioneers before they were prepared for it and the cold was 
unusually severe. By the middle of November the river 
was frozen, ships bringing supplies were forced to turn back, 
and famine fell upon the new settlements. 

Cattle died and the settlers themselves barely kept 
alive by eating nuts and acorns. Seventy men walked down 
6 



the frozen river and found at Saybrook a small ship jammed 
in the ice and abandoned. With great effort they cut her 
adrift and steered their course back to Boston. A few 
others from the settlements walked the whole distance, 
through deep snow, overland to the Coast. The rest stayed 
on, defying starvation, and managed to live through that 
dreadful winter of 1635 and 1636. 

The next summer brought relief. For, in June came 
the whole congregation of the church at Newtown, headed 
by their pastor. Rev. Thos. Hooker, and their teacher, 
Samuel Stone. 

Palfrey's History of New England thus describes the 
journey. "A hundred people, of both sexes and all ages, 
took advantage of the pleasantest of New England months 
to make their emigration. They directed their march by 
the compass, aided by such local information as they had 
derived from previous explorers. Their herd of a hundred 
and sixty cattle, which grazed as they journeyed, supplied 
them with milk. They hewed their difficult way through 
thickets, and their simple engineering bridged with felled 
trees the streams which could not be forded. Tents pro- 
tected them from the rain and sheltered their sleep. Early 
berries which grew along the way, furnished an agreeable 
variety in their diet, and the fragrance of summer flowers 
and the songs of innumerable birds beguiled the weariness 
of their pilgrimage. It occupied a fortnight though the 
distance was scarcely one hundred miles." 

Dr. Benjamin Trumbull, who wrote a history, between 
1790 and 1800, having conversed with many aged descend- 
ants of these pioneers, also says, 

"The adventure was the more remarkable, as many of this 
company were persons of figure, who had lived in England, 
in honor, affluence and delicacy, and were entire strangers 
to fatigue and danger." 

Later, the congregations from Dorchester and Water- 
town, having sold their homes to newcomers from England, 
came themselves to Windsor and Wethersfield. 

By the following spring there were about eight hundred 
English settlers in Connecticut. And it must be remembered 

7 



that these first settlements were made by church organi- 
zations, who came seeking not wealth but civil liberty and 
popular government. 

For a year, these new towns were governed by a Board 
of Commissioners from Massachusetts. But in 1637 repre- 
sentatives from Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield, met in 
a General Court held at Hartford to form a separate govern- 
ment. They brought with them these new names ever since 
retained for the settlements which had previously been called 
after the home towns in Massachusetts. 

This General Court may be said to mark the beginning 
of Connecticut as an independent colony. Springfield, 
settled about this time by people from Roxbury, was for 
some years claimed by both Massachusetts and Connecticut 
and was represented, at first, in the General Court at Hart- 
ford. But the boundaries were decided in 1641 and Spring- 
field henceforth belonged to Massachusetts. 

Connecticut always maintained that all authority and 
the choice of governors belonged to the people. Rev. 
Thos. Hooker was chiefly responsible for the Constitution 
adopted in 1639 by the freemen of Hartford, Windsor and 
Wethersfield. 

This was the first written Constitution, in history, creating a 
government. For the compact signed in the cabin of the 
Mayflower simply limited the powers of government but 
did not create it; while the same may be said of the old 
English Magna Charta. Our present United States Consti- 
tution drew much of its form from this early Constitution 
of Connecticut. 

It established a federation of towns for self-government. 
It has no reference to Great Britain or to any power outside 
of Connecticut. And it does not insist that a man must be 
a church member in order to vote. 

The first governor, chosen in April, 1639, was John 
Haynes. 

But while things were moving thus smoothly for the 

Connecticut Colonists among themselves, they were plunged 

into an Indian war. Three years before Rev. Thos. Hooker 

and his companyreached Hartford, a party of Dutch traders 

8 



sailing up the Connecticut River had been murdered by the 
Pequots. In 1636, John Oldham, sailing on Long Island 
Sound, was captured and killed. Governor Vane of Boston, 
demanding satisfaction, took revenge by ravaging Indian 
camps and burning wigwams. This still further enraged 
the savages. All through the winter of 1636 and 1637 the 
Connecticut towns were in danger and alarm. "Men going 
to their work were killed and horribly mangled. A Wethers- 
field man was kidnapped and roasted alive. Later ten people 
from the same town were massacred and two girls carried 
off." 

In despair the colonists appealed for help to their Massa- 
chusetts neighbors, raised among themselves a little com- 
pany of defenders, and added the support of several hundred 
friendly Indians from tribes eager to be revenged upon the 
Pequots. John Mason and John Underbill, experienced 
captains, were put in command. Their motley army 
advanced to the Pequot fort, where is now the town of 
Stonington. As they drew near, the courage of the Indian 
allies began to fail. One after another stole away to the 
rear leaving only seventy-seven Englishmen. These must 
besiege a strong fort defended by a palisade of tree trunks 
without and by seven hundred Pequots within. This area 
of two or three acres was crowded with wigwams. The 
attack, made before dawn, was a surprise, and the panic- 
stricken Pequots tried in vain to escape through the two 
gates guarded, respectively, by Mason and Underbill. 
The Enghsh threw blazing torches over the palisade, setting 
fire to the village of wigwams; whereby many Indians 
perished in the flames. 

This battle lasted but an hour. The English lost but 
two men although some twenty others were wounded. Of 
the Pequots only five escaped. Sassacus, their chief, who 
had stirred up this hostility, was among those who fled. He 
was overtaken and killed by the Mohawk Indians, who 
sent his scalp to the Governor at Boston. 

The Pequot nation had long been a terror to the other 
Indian tribes. Now that it was destroyed, the fear of its 
9 



conquerors fell upon the savages and for a generation the 
New England colonists had rest from Indian attacks. 

The Pequot war was ended in the early summer of 1637. 
The safety of travel and of living thus assured brought new 
colonists into the Connecticut Valley. A year later, the 
town of New Haven was founded by Englishmen coming 
mostly from the city of London, where their minister, Daven- 
port, had been a clergyman of the Established Church. 
Some of the party were from other parts of the country, 
as Yorkshire, Herefordshire. 

Connecticut settlers always paid the Indians for their 
land. But the price given for the County of New Haven is 
said to have been "one dozen each of coats, spoons, hatchets, 
hoes and porringers; two dozen knives and four cases of 
French knives and 'Sizers' to one tribe and a dozen coats to 
the other," with promise of protection against their enemies 
and the right to hunt and fish on the territory thus sold. 
Not an expensive territory, in view of its value; but the 
Indians seemed satisfied. 

In 1639, this New Haven colony divided to settle Milford. 
At almost the same time newly-arrived English immigrants 
established Guilford. Stamford became a settlement in 
1640. 

In 1643, six towns — New Haven, Milford, Guilford, 
Stamford, Southold and Branford — united to form the 
Republic of New Haven. Each village was to be independ- 
ent, but only church-members might vote. Government in 
each town was vested in seven magistrates called "Pillars 
of the Church." The rules of Hving enacted by these officers 
have been known as the "Blue Laws." But many of the 
often-quoted statutes, such as that "No woman shall kiss 
her child on the Sabbath," are the exaggerations of a writer 
who, a hundred years later, wished to jeer at the sober Puri- 
tans. 

The migration of Puritans from England to the colonies — 
at least in any organized bands— ceased after 1649. The 
population of New England, at that date about twenty- 
six hundred, had come for the most part in the reign of 
Charles I, 1625 to 1649. This migration is accounted for 
10 



by the intolerance and cruelty of that monarch. It ceased 
because the Puritans in England then made a stand for free- 
dom and gave their support to Cromwell. King Charles 
was dethroned and beheaded and under the Commonwealth 
of England it was no longer necessary to seek new homes. 
The colonists in the new world were left to become united 
and "Americanized." 

The Connecticut men, as we have seen, came chiefly 
from Massachusetts and were of. the best middle class in 
England. There they had been clergymen, lawyers, teachers, 
country-squires, artisans and agriculturists — industrious 
folk who could not tolerate idleness or disorder. They had, 
now, a few servants, including some negro slaves, Indian 
prisoners, Indian women of the friendly tribes, and white 
apprentices. The latter class, few in Connecticut, were 
called "redemptioners" because they promised to serve only 
until their wages "redeemed" or paid the cost of their 
voyage from England. Life in the colony was not easy. 
The New England winter especially was hard to endure; for 
cut off, as they were, from outside help, through impossibility 
of travel in the snow, the colonists often suffered for lack 
of doctors and surgeons. 

The log houses were cold; only a kitchen-fire blazed on 
the hearth. Unplastered walls were such poor protection 
that water and ink sometimes froze in the same room with 
the fire; while in the unheated churches the Communion 
bread often froze to its plate. 

Begging and drunken Indians lurked about the settlers' 
doors; hungry wild beasts made it unsafe to go far from 
home even had roads been passable, i^ach household 
depended upon itself both in work and play; for the stern 
religious views of the time forbade most forms of amusement. 
Quilting parties and husking bees enlivened the milder 
season and between services on the Sabbath there was oppor- 
tunity for visiting and politics. 

Within the home the furniture was simple. Beds, 
"settles," chairs, and tables, were of home manufacture. 
The housewife carded her own wool, spun her own flax, 
and moulded her own candles. A "tin-kitchen" roasted 



venison before the wood-fire, potatoes were cooked in the 
ashes, and the kettle of mush or hominy hung on a crane 
over the blazing logs. 

Connecticut later became famous for its manufacture of 
clocks; but in these early days they were rare. In 1780 a 
clock cost one hundred dollars and was a luxury beyond 
the reach of most people. But there were hour-glasses to 
time the cooking. If it were necessary to measure minutes, 
a hymn could be sung; one verse of eight lines chanted 
slowly, was just long enough to boil an egg. 

Community laws entered largely into private life. Con- 
necticut forbade any man to smoke tobacco before strangers, 
either in his own home or elsewhere. Two men were 
forbidden to smoke together and no one must light pipe or 
cigar on the Sabbath within two miles of the Meeting House. 
A man might smoke once only in a journey of ten miles; 
never more than once a day and never in another man's 
house. 

The rules for Church-going and for behavior in public 
were equally particular and strict. 

It is sometimes said of the Pilgrim Fathers that "They 
came to a new world in order to worship God as they pleased 
and to prevent other people from doing the same." This 
statement is unfair to their ideals. They did wish to estab- 
lish a Christian State. Perhaps they had small knowledge of 
what we call religious liberty. But they tried to lead godly 
lives and to drive out from their community all forms of 
sin. Righteousness was above personal rights. Their 
liberality, too, was in advance of that then practiced in 
England. Connecticut led her sister colonies in freedom 
of thought; for here, except in the Republic of New Haven, 
freemen, whether church members or not, had the right to 
vote. Quakers, so cruelly persecuted in Massachusetts, 
were tolerated or at most merely fined, in the Connecticut 
towns. And while the Congregational Church was that 
established and upheld by New England Colonies, Con- 
necticut early in the eighteenth century allowed the forma- 
tion of other church societies and protected them by law. 

On the whole, these colonists were men of unusual 
12 



uprightness and ability. One of their ministers said in an 
election sermon; "God sifted a whole nation that He might 
send choice grain into the wilderness" — more nearly exact 
truth than are many compliments. 

The principle of federation continued to grow in favor. 
In 1643 was formed a league of four colonies — Massachu- 
setts, Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven — for it must 
be remembered that the last two were as yet distinct — 
called the United Colonies of New England. This league, 
including thirty-nine towns, was formed chiefly for defence 
against encroachments of the Dutch. For the next ten 
years there were disputes and controversies with the govern- 
ors of New Netherlands. There were fears of a Dutch 
and Indian war, especially when conflict between England 
and Holland broke out in Europe. New England in her 
loyalty, threatened to sweep the Dutch from Manhattan 
Island. A small army was raised and an expedition planned, 
when news came that England had made peace with Hol- 
land and wished no interference from the colonies. 

Great changes, meantime, had occurred in the Mother 
Country. For eleven years after King Charles I was exe- 
cuted by act of Parliament, England was ruled as a Com- 
monwealth, under Oliver Cromwell and his son. Then in 
1660 Charles II was restored to the throne of his father. 
Two members of the Council who had condemned Charles 
I to death fled for their hves to New England. They were 
Edward Whalley, cousin of Cromwell, and William Goffe, 
major-general in Cromwell's army. These "regicides" 
were kindly received by the New Haven people and hidden 
from the King's detectives. Thrilling stories are told of 
their hiding in caves, in cellars of the colonists, and once 
even under a bridge while their pursuers galloped across. 
For two or three years they were thus protected until the 
King's officers grew discouraged and gave up the hunt. 

New Haven not only shielded these "rebels" but failed 
for more than a year to recognize the restoration of Charles 
II. But the Connecticut Colony had been prompt to 
acknowledge the new King. 

13 



When, therefore, in the summer of 1661, young John 
Winthrop was sent to England to ask for a Connecticut 
Charter, similar to that already enjoyed by Massachusetts, 
the King received him graciously and granted liberal terms. 
This Charter is dated April 23, 1662, and under its provisions 
Connecticut was governed for more than a hundred and fifty 
years. 

In order to punish New Haven, the King suppressed it as 
a separate colony and annexed it to Connecticut — probably 
thinking also that by giving Massachusetts a strong rival 
he could vex that troublesome part of his overseas dominion. 
New Haven strongly objected to the union but was finally 
forced to yield. 

What was intended as a repressive measure really 
strengthened the growing colonies. In spite of differences 
among themselves and with their neighbors, they grew and 
prospered until there fell upon them the next great Indian 
war, known as King Philip's War. 

For thirty-eight years, since the Pequots had been so 
fearfully punished, there had been outward peace between 
the white men and the Indians. The latter, however, saw 
with secret alarm and hatred that the English were encroach- 
ing more and more, taking possession of their lands and 
crowding the tribes back into the wilderness. Education 
and religious training were offered them by white teachers 
and missionaries, but even these gifts were viewed with 
distrust and misunderstanding. Guns and ammunition 
were better understood. These the Indians eagerly accepted 
and thereby strengthened themselves for the conflict. 
"Fire-water," too, as they called the hquor obtained from 
traders, added to their natural cruelty. When Philip, 
whose Indian name was Metacora, became chief of the 
Wampanoags, it was easy for him to find a pretext for 
attack. 

The war began in Massachusetts in the summer of 1675 
and soon spread to the Connecticut Valley. Massacres 
followed and within a few weeks, Northfield, Deerfield and 
Bloody Brook saw desperate acts of murder and outrage. 
When the Narragansett tribe threatened to join their breth- 
14 



ren the Federal Commissioners at Boston felt that it was 
time for strong measures. A thousand men under Governor 
Winslow marched against the faithless Narragansetts and 
near Kingston, Rhode Island, completely overthrew them. 
In this battle Connecticut had three hundred men. For 
though the war was waged for the most part outside her 
borders, she did her full share in its support and felt her 
full share of anxiety and alarm. 

King Philip was killed by an Indian bullet; his head was 
cut off and sent to Plymouth, where stuck on a pole it was 
displayed on the village green, the church bells calling people 
to a service of thanksgiving over the capture of their foe. 
This was natural rejoicing but its methods hardly accord with 
our present ideas of Christian brotherhood. 

King Philip's War was the last Indian uprising of any 
strength in New England. Later the French had the savages 
as allies in frontier raids; but as a separate foe, we hear no 
more of the cruel Red Man. 

In the year that King Philip's War began, word came to 
Connecticut that Governor Andros of New York was coming 
to aid the colonists against the Indians. Long Island, 
which seemed, by nature, to belong to Connecticut, had 
recently been transferred to New York by a patent from the 
King. There was, therefore, no kindly feeling toward 
New York's proffered aid; it looked too much like further 
encroachment. Captain Bull, commanding officer at Say- 
brook, was ordered to say "that the colony had taken all 
precautions against the Indians." If Governor Andros 
wished to visit the firing line he might do so ; but no strange 
soldiers should be landed on Connecticut soil. All that 
Andros accomplished was to read his commission. And 
when the Hartford Court heard of that, they said merely, 
"We wish he had been interrupted." 

This hint bore fruit when, eighteen years later, another 
New York Governor, Benjamin Fletcher, arrived at Hartford 
with royal order to take charge of New England militia. 
He was not allowed to read his credentials. Captain 
Wadsworth ordered the drums to beat and there followed 
"such a roaring of them that nothing else could be heard." 
15 



Twice Governor Fletcher attempted to read; twice he was 
drummed down; at last, after a threat from Captain Wads- 
worth to "make the sun shine through him" if the drummers 
were again interrupted, he gave up the effort. This incident 
shows the Connecticut spirit — a spirit of courage and loyalty 
that would endure no trespass on colonial rights. 

King Charles II had planned to send over a viceroy to 
curb this spirit of independence. But as he was about to 
carry out his plan he was removed by sudden death in 1685. 
His brother, James II, who succeeded to the throne, was more 
crafty than Charles and hardly less vicious. He sent back 
Sir Edmund Andros, ex-governor of New York, as governor 
of New England, with orders to take away all royal charters 
and abolish self-government. 

In October, 1687, Andros went in person to seize the 
charter of Connecticut. He appeared one evening before 
the Assembly at Hartford to enforce the King's demands. 
While he argued and threatened, the candles were suddenly 
blown out. When, after some delay, they were relighted, 
the charter was nowhere to be found. Captain Wadsworth 
had taken it away, under cover of the darkness, and had 
hidden it in a hollow oak. This tree, known thereafter as the 
Charter Oak, no longer stands. But the precious docu- 
ment may still be seen in the State House at Hartford. 
Although Connecticut thus saved her charter, she was obliged, 
for a time, to submit. 

Andros became governor of all the northern colonies 
from what is now Maine to Delaware. For about two years 
the people fretted under his tyranny and would not have 
endured it much longer, had not a change in English politics 
come to their aid. 

Early in April, 1689, young John Winthrop returned to 
Boston bringing news of the revolution in England — the 
landing of the Prince of Orange and the overthrow of King 
James 11, Then the colonists arose and summoned Andros 
to surrender. He refused and, dressed in woman's clothes, 
tried to run away. But the people of Boston were too quick 
for him; he was arrested and thrown into prison. 
16 



Five weeks later came the order to proclaim William and 
Mary, King and Queen of Great Britain and the colonies. 
New England obeyed with great rejoicing; for it was believed 
that, at last, self-government was assured for all time. 

The Charter of Connecticut was now restored to its 
authority and continued in force until the present State 
Constitution took its place, in 1818. For almost a hundred 
years after this restoration of her charter, Connecticut had 
peace in which to cultivate the land, establish schools, and 
grow into her reputation as "the land of steady habits." 

A college was felt to be necessary, and as early as 1647 
the New Haven authorities had been ordered, by the general 
Court, to set aside a lot for such an institution. But 
Massachusetts declared that, since there was hardly enough 
money to support Harvard, to attempt two colleges would 
be to ruin both. In 1698 the matter again came up, ten 
trustees were chosen, and it was decided to call the new 
college "The School of the Church." Objections were made 
to this name. Therefore the plan of having the church 
control the college was given up. 

But in 1700 the trustees held their first regular meeting 
at Branford. Each man— and they were all ministers — 
laid upon a table his contribution of books, with the remark 
"I give these books for the founding of a college in this 
colony." Only forty volumes in all, but they were the begin- 
ning of Yale University. 

Saybrook was first chosen as the place for the new college 
and in 1702 a degree was there conferred upon Nathaniel 
Chauncey, the first graduate. For various reasons removal 
was thought best, and in 1716 New Haven was chosen as 
the site. 

English friends of education had throughout these years 
been sending over books and money for the college. At 
the first New Haven Commencement in 1718, the University 
was named for one of its benefactors, Elihu Yale. 

In the early years of the colonies there was popular 

sentiment against the public education of girls. It was 

believed that, according to St. Paul's injunction, women 

should "learn at home." It is therefore to the credit of 

17 



Connecticut to have established, at Middletown in 1780, 
the first school exclusively for girls. Classes were held in 
the evening, in the subjects: Grammar, Geography and 
Composition. Only at a later period were girls admitted 
to the public schools. 

Connecticut had many domestic troubles. One diffi- 
culty came from the scant supply and changing values of 
money. The little gold and silver brought from England 
was soon insufficient. For trading with the Indians "wam- 
pum" was used and later became common currency among 
the settlers themselves. Wampum was made from shells 
cut and polished into beads. Three dark colored or six 
white beads equalled an English penny. 

Other things passed as money or were given in trade: — 
such as animals, grains and vegetables, codfish, bullets, and 
even nails — the last being often thrown in for small change. 
These various substitutes for money fluctuated in value. 
Also the gold and silver coins still remaining were often 
"clipped" or plugged, so that a good deal of figuring had to 
be done in every bargain. 

In 1709 money had so diminished, while taxes and debts 
had so increased, that the General Court of Connecticut 
issued paper money, which is merely a promise to pay in 
gold or silver. It was several times needful to resort to 
this doubtful way of lifting financial burdens which seemed in 
the end to grow only heavier. Yet the paper notes were 
finally redeemed and the credit of the colony was preserved. 

England, meantime, was at war with France. And as 
Canada, on the New England border, was settled by French- 
men, the colonies were naturally drawn into the conflict. 
Connecticut's part was to promise troops if needed by any 
of her neighbors. She gave substantial help in Queen Anne's 
War which broke out in 1702. In 1709 she sent several 
hundred men to help in the attacks on Quebec and Montreal 
and also on Nova Scotia. And in successive years she 
helped generously to win Canada for the English. 

Then there was peace for nearly thirty years until England 
declared war against Spain. Again Connecticut furnished 
soldiers — a thousand this time — who went to the shores 
18 



of Spain. Only a hundred came back, while the money- 
loss was so great that more paper bills became necessary. 

In 1754 began what is known as the French and Indian 
War; for France had joined in the struggle over seas, while 
in the colonies Indian tribes allied themselves with French 
settlers. 

Connecticut equipped a small man-of-war and sent it 
with eleven hundred men to help take Louisburg, Nova 
Scotia. For the battle of Lake George a thousand men 
were sent from Connecticut and it was their commander. 
General Lyman, who led the fiercest of the fighting. 

Israel Putnam was another Connecticut man who dis- 
tinguished himself in the French and Indian War as also, 
later, in the Revolution. 

Year after year there was demand for fresh troops until 
it seemed as if the resources of the colony were exhausted. 
But the call for men was never refused. 

In spite of war and money troubles, Connecticut had 
grown and prospered. In 1680, a report to the home 
government stated that there were thirty towns; many 
buildings "of wood, stone or brick — forty foot long and 
twenty foot broad and some longer." The population of 
the colony was between ten and twelve thousand — about 
three persons to a square mile. In 1700 these figures had 
nearly doubled. 

There was indeed such growth that new colonies began to 
reach out west and south. Migrations began and many 
questions arose over boundaries. Massachusetts, in return 
for Connecticut's straightening the eastern line between 
the two colonies, gave to her neighbor a tract of western 
land. This was in the territory afterwards called Vermont. 
It was sold by the General Court to private purchasers, 
but as soon as the new owners tried to settle their lands, 
they found themselves in a dispute involving New York, 
Massachusetts and New Hampshire, all of whom claimed 
the country. Besides this, the ignorance and greed of 
English Kings gave overlapping grants to relatives and 
favorites and led to honest differences of opinion as to bound- 
aries. Some of these differences it took a century to settle. 

19 



Yet at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, despite 
losses and migrations, troubles at home and abroad, Con- 
necticut was a thriving, well-established colony, favorably 
known among the thirteen for integrity, industry and a 
spirit of true democracy. 

When the Stamp Act was passed by the English Parlia- 
ment, the Connecticut General Assembly, through its 
agent in London, was first to protest, insisting firmly on 
"the right of the colonies to tax themselves and the privi- 
lege of trial by jury — rights they could never recede from." 

A special agent, named Ingersoll, was sent to London to 
remonstrate in person. He accomplished nothing, but by 
Benjamin Franklin's advice had himself appointed stamp 
agent for Connecticut, to collect the hated, tax. On his 
return he found the colonists much excited. Sermons were 
preached against the Stamp Act and officers were ordered 
to pay no heed to it. Bands of men calling themselves 
"Sons of Liberty" were forming in all the towns. These 
men were waiting for Ingersoll and a thousand of them 
escorted him from New Haven to Hartford forcing him to 
resign his office as Stamp Agent. 

In 1769 Jonathan Trumbull became governor of Con- 
necticut and held office until the end of the Revolution. He 
was a close friend and advisor of Washington and it was 
from the latter's playful way of addressing him that the 
name "Brother Jonathan" came to mean the United States. 

Throughout the stormy events which followed the 
"Boston Tea Party" Connecticut was prompt to furnish 
money, men, and sympathy. It was a party of Connecticut 
volunteers who roused Vermont and led in the capture of 
Ticonderoga. 

Israel Putnam, even before this time, had proved the 
valiant spirit of his colony. He was plowing in his field at 
Pomfret when word came of the battle of Concord and Lex- 
ington. Dropping the plow where it was, he mounted the 
plowhorse and galloped off to the governor's house for 
orders sending him to Boston. He rode without dismount- 
ing, for eighteen hours, and was soon in command of a 
company. At Bunker Hill, Putnam's men held the rail 
20 



fence until the whole army was in retreat and then tried to 
turn the others back. 

It is said that in General Washington's army which be- 
sieged New York— some 1700 men— more than half were from 
Connecticut. The battles of the Revolution were chiefly 
outside the boundaries of this colony, but her generosity 
and loyal support of the cause contributed largely to success. 
At home, those who could not fight, were given employment 
in casting bullets and in gathering provisions for the troops. 
There were few Tories in Connecticut and those few were 
invited to move elsewhere. 

Connecticut has had, also, a large share in the affairs 
of national government and the development of other states. 
From a census taken about the middle of the last century, 
it appears that one county alone gave birth to "thirteen 
United States Senators, twenty-two representatives from 
New York, fifteen supreme Court judges in other states, 
nine presidents of colleges and eleven governors and lieuten- 
ant governors of states." 

The important differences which characterized Connecti- 
cut as compared with other colonies have been tabulated as 
follows: 

1st. Development of the town system and the principle 
of local government. 

2d. The first written and democratic constitution. 

3d. Comparative freedom from British control. 

4th. First practical test of federation. 

5th. First organized effort toward western colonization. 

6th. Individual development of manufacture and pro- 
ductive industry. 

Connecticut has in her history no large element of 
romance or of stirring incidents. It is the story of steady 
growth; simple, sturdy virtues; above all, of true democracy. 

Her contribution to the Union may be summed up in 
the words of her historian, Alexander Johnston: 

"The birthplace of American democracy is Hartford. 
It was the privilege of Connecticut to keep the nation of 
21 



federal relation alive until it could be made the fundamental 
law of all the commonwealths in 1787-89. In this respect 
the life principle of the American Union may be traced 
straight back to the primitive union of the three little settle- 
ments on the bank of the Connecticut River." 



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